By James Bell
Hays Post

After an exhaustive search, Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, has announced James Younger as their new director of marketing. He took over the role this month.

Being a Hays native, with fond memories of the shopping center, he was able to hit the ground running, already planning new events for the recently renovated facility.

“The biggest thing I was looking for was someone that was not afraid of being in the public eye, who can take the good and the bad and someone that truly wants to be in the community,” said Katie Dorzweiler, property manager.

“He fits all those requirements.”

Younger was born and raised in Hays, graduating from Hays High School in 2009 and Fort Hays State University in 2014 where he majored in communications.

With his experience and familiarity with Hays, he hopes to bring a unique take to the position.

“Being able to help create new and fresh events, I think that will really help revitalize the public opinion,” Younger said. “I feel my little bit younger perspective, but a mature perspective, will really play into this community.”

Having a male perspective in the position will also give Younger the ability to bring something different to the traditionally female role.

“James can implement different male and family oriented things,” Dorzweiler said and she wants Younger to find ways to give men more reasons to visit the mall, hopefully bringing family members along with them.

Within his position, Younger hopes to bring activities and events to the shopping center, similar to the ones he remembers from his youth when it was called the Hays Mall.

“A win for me, is honestly giving people a place to create memories,” he said, and to have locals “not only shop here, but have roots here, much in the way that I have roots in the community.”

He also hopes the mall can once again become a hub for the Hays community, that will in turn help bring in more tenants for the facility and shoppers for existing mall businesses.

“The more foot-traffic that we create, the more opportunities come our way,” Younger said. “I think that’s something the community of Hays could really benefit from.”

While the mall has received some bad publicity in recent years, Younger and Dorzweiler hope area residents will see changes in the facility’s culture and give the property the opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the Hays community to create a stronger shopping center for the region.

With more shopper traffic, more opportunities will arise for new business to come into the facility. With that in mind in his new role, Younger said he wants to “help increase people’s awareness about the mall, help get them in here,” to see the changes being made, and to feel the center’s new attitude.